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Overgrown Desolation 511

Gallery: Weekly ChallengePosted November 20, 20111,186 views13 comments

Frequently when I'm driving from one location to another, I spot buildings in various states of decay. And I'm intrigued. Who had lived there? Why did they move? Why was the building abandoned?
In the case depicted in the image, it appeared that there had been an exterior fire; the siding on the house was gone; the windows appeared to be intact; the vegetation was rapidly taking over the entire area around the house, and the No Trespassing sign had long ago fallen over and had all but disappeared under the grasses and brambles.
Intriguing. I have a thought that today's economy has something to do with this particular house.

This shot was taken at f/16, 40mm, spot meter, ISO 100. I wanted to create an image in which both the FG grasses and the house were in-focus.

Thanks for looking and leaving your comments. BTW, this image had been posted on M&N when I initially had taken the shot--back in September, so if you've seen it, apologies ...

Regards,

Carol

Comments

13 comments

Comment posted by Steve Balke on November 20, 2011 at 8:48 PM

Certainly a beautiful shot, Carol: everything seems to be in focus here from the foreground grasses to the sky. Great color. Wonderful cloud patterns. All that said, I don't perceive much desolation here. The house is brightly lit and I can't tell that it is in disrepair. The sky is more beautiful than ominous. Perhaps if the image was darker and the house smaller in the frame showing more empty surroundings, it would help. Or it could just mostly be that I know nothing about house construction.....

Registered on June 18, 2009, 229 Posts, 2915 Comments

Comment posted by RL Potts on November 20, 2011 at 11:21 PM

The puzzlement of this house comes through clearly. I like the interesting lighting. I often use partially lit scenes for landscape work. I like looking at this enigmatic house through the weeds. Looks like an excellent roof and a fairly modern structure. Maybe there was a rapture and we missed it. It looks like there was some kind of cheap sheeting over black felt paper on the exterior. I don't know why anyone would build this way.

Registered on November 24, 2003, 188 Posts, 985 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Bachman on November 21, 2011 at 7:59 AM

It looks like it was abandoned before it was even completed (no siding). Perhaps the owners had no insurance if there was a fire.

I like the foreground grasses in front of the building, it makes it appearlike you've just discovered this in a field somewhere, even though it doesn't look to be that old.

Registered on May 30, 2006, 66 Posts, 70 Comments

Comment posted by Mauro Pasquero on November 21, 2011 at 10:51 AM

A very nice find, Carol. Excellent composition and lighting.
The sky adds a great sense of "drama" to the entire scene !
Mauro

Registered on January 21, 2010, 650 Posts, 2500 Comments

Comment posted by David E Lester on November 22, 2011 at 11:12 AM

Like the comp, sky and overall picture..and the sence of mystery it gives?

Registered on March 24, 2010, 155 Posts, 793 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on November 22, 2011 at 9:00 PM

Carol, You've got lots of drama in this shot with the grasses screening the house and that dark (almost purple) sky. Personally, I'd like to have a better view of the house, but that's artistic vision. I wonder if it was abandoned unfinished, I've seen that happen a few times when folks were building their own houses and ran into marital problems or money problems.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on November 22, 2011 at 9:17 PM

Carol,
The sky you caught is very interesting in this photo. I would have liked to have seen the boarded up doorway w/o the OOF grass in front of it. Still a good image. Thanks for sharing.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Varina Patel on November 28, 2011 at 10:04 AM

I absolutely love your foreground. What a great shot! All those grasses are just wonderful against the house. Beautiful shot, Carol! I love it!

Registered on August 22, 2008, 45 Posts, 1578 Comments

Comment posted by Monica Siri on November 29, 2011 at 1:30 PM

Beautiful image, Carol. Congrats on the EP.

Registered on September 20, 2009, 132 Posts, 3764 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Colvin on November 29, 2011 at 1:32 PM

Congratulations on the EP, Carol. Beautifully done.

Registered on December 2, 2009, 15 Posts, 93 Comments

Comment posted by Pat Sampson on November 29, 2011 at 8:36 PM

Congrats on the EP Carol. Lots of mood and a great supporting sky.

pat

Registered on May 19, 2007, 953 Posts, 15989 Comments

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on November 30, 2011 at 12:34 PM

Wonderful job on the focus, great light.

Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on December 3, 2011 at 1:09 AM

Nice light and subject - the bright light , to me, doesn't convey "desolate", though.
Congrats on the WP -
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments